Application
A method for developing and manufacturing high-quality Syringe pumps suitable for use in virtually any laboratory.
Contributors
Joshua M. Pearce¹, Bas Wijnen¹, Emily J. Hunt¹ and Gerald C. Anzalone¹
Estimated cost
$100 ±
Progress
Stable, GNU Affero General Public License
The open-source syringe pump project offers a library to build customised low-cost syringe pumps. These pumps have many medical applications such as delivering contrast agents for MRI, and medication for chemotherapy and pain managemen.
To build the device a 3D printer, or 3D printing service, can be used to print the necessary parts. The 3D-printable parts can be customised to the application using an open-source parametric 3D design tool, called OpenSCAD and derivatives like OpenPump, have already been created.
An open-source Rasberry Pi computer is used as a wireless control device. It controls the stepper motor which can be obtained from open-source hardware distributors. Most mechanical components can be obtained from a local hardware store. Some specialist components like ball bearings, linear bearings and flexible couplings can be sourced online. The design, bill of materials and assembly instructions are publicly available.
Performance of the syringe pump has been assessed and the results can be read in their scientific publication. In the publication it is also discussed the known limitations of the design and its potential for reducing the cost of doing science.
Publications
Affiliations
1Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan, United States of America